Criminal Law

The United States is the world’s largest consumer of cocaine, a powerful and highly addictive stimulant. Certain workers and employees use this drug to increase functional activity, to stay productive despite extended hours of work. The younger generation calls it “party drug,” which keeps them awake throughout the party. To many others, cocaine is otherwise called coke, dust, charlie, white dragon, foo-foo, toot, uptown, or snow.

Cocaine is classified by the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of the United States as a Schedule II drug due to its high possibility for abuse; it can be legally prescribed by doctors, however, but only for medical purposes.

Regardless of how it will be used, though, cocaine remains to be illegal and whoever will be caught manufacturing, selling, possessing, using or distributing it, will be met with very harsh punishments. The penalties and fines defined under the United States Code (USC) of Controlled Substances Act for mere possession of cocaine include:

first time offenders: up to 12 months imprisonment and a fine of, at least, a $1,000;

second time offenders : up to 24 months imprisonment and a fine of, at least, $2,500;

third time offenders: up to 36 months imprisonment and a fine of, at least, $5,000

A higher fine and a longer jail term will be given to distributors and sellers of cocaine if any activity involving this drug will be marred by either injury or death.

One major reason why many are drawn to using this drug is the immediate sense of ecstasy it throws a user into. It also makes a user more confident, alert and talkative. This usually gets replaced by depression, anxiety and irritability, however, as the effect of the drug begins to wear off.

The firm Horst Law says that the ramifications of even the lightest cocaine-related charge can be extremely severe. A Class A misdemeanor may only result in a fine or small amount of jail time, but this is not true for felonies. The lowest felony charge, a class E, immediately raises the stakes to several years in prison and hefty fines. Both prosecutors and police, however, frequently seek to make an example out of those charged with a cocaine-related offense. Thus, to avoid being taken advantage of by overly ambitious police and their predatory tactics it may be wise to get in touch with a highly-skilled drug crime defense attorney as soon as you are able to – he/she may just be the key to your acquittal.